Botswana Wellness Retreat: A Personal Recap from the Okavango Delta

There’s a subtle shift happening in how we travel. More and more people want holidays that don’t leave them depleted; escapes where wellbeing folds naturally into the experience rather than interrupting it. Not a “detox” week or a punishing schedule, but a way of travelling that feels restorative, nourishing, seamless.

Earlier this year, I was invited by Desert & Delta to experience their wellness safari in Botswana and see whether it would resonate with my Wildlife & Yoga community. I’ll share my thoughts at the end, but first, let me take you through the experience itself. What we saw. What we felt. And why this pocket of the Okavango Delta may be one of the most peaceful places I’ve ever visited.

Nxamaseri Island Lodge

Arriving in Botswana: A Soft Landing into the Delta

My trip began in Cape Town after five days with a close friend. Hikes, ocean swims, saunas, coffees by the beach. As most of you know, I live in the bush in Kenya, so I cherish these bursts of city life and time with friends. Connection matters. It fills me up in ways I don’t take for granted and I am so lucky to have some incredible friends all over the world. Many of whom I meet on these retreats!

A short 2.5-hour flight took me from Cape Town to Maun, where the Desert & Delta team met me at the airport. We were flying by charter to Nxamaseri Island Lodge, so I waited for another friend, Jessie, to arrive and then we boarded our hop over the Delta.

We touched down on a small local airstrip and were met by our guide, who drove us through the community to the water’s edge. A five-minute boat ride through the reeds brought us to camp, with hands waving on the jetty and fresh juice waiting to welcome us into this beautiful corner of the world.

After a warm welcome and a briefing with our yoga teacher and host, Kerrith O’Fee, Jessie and I settled into our canvas rooms: spacious, quiet, with oversized showers, writing desks, and a deck overlooking the water. As I unpacked, I heard a rustle outside — four baby genets playing while their mother was foraging for food. It was a small moment, but an exciting one, which made me feel exactly where I was meant to be.

Then came the sunset. The sky burned orange, storms glowing on the horizon. It’s impossible to capture that kind of colour in words or photos, the whole Delta shimmering in colour.

After the sun had set, we gathered around the fire, shared stories, had dinner, and fell asleep to soft rain on canvas. Pure bliss.

Yoga in the Okavango Delta

Each morning began with an optional meditation at 5:30 am. I’ll be honest…I missed it every day. If you know me, you know I am not an early riser. But I loved that the offering was there and that some guests joined without pressure. This wellness safari truly met everyone where they were.

I joined the group at 6:00 am for yoga on the deck, overlooking the Okavango Delta. Birds calling, light filtering through the trees, the air still cool. You feel yourself soften — shoulders drop, thoughts quieten, breath slows. It was the perfect way to start each day.

After a quick refresh, we gathered for breakfast before joining one of the local chefs, Tiny, for a traditional basket-weaving session. She told stories of how baskets are made, the social rituals around them, and how each pattern carries meaning. Watching her hands move with such history and skill was grounding; in three days, she can weave a bowl. She suspected it would take me seven… and I think she was being kind.

After weaving, we had wellness check-ins with Kerrith and a long, lazy afternoon of rest, lunch, and massages before an evening boat cruise. Each sunset was extra special.

Island Breakfasts and Slow Adventure

The next morning followed the same flow: meditation (missed), yoga (made it), then breakfast… except breakfast wasn’t in camp.

The team surprised us with a private-island breakfast. We arrived by boat at a long table overlooking the Delta, palm trees swaying behind us, and absolute quiet all around. The chefs cooked breakfast on a BBQ.

From there, we set out on a guided island walk: birds, open skies, sandy paths, the unmistakable rhythm of the bush. I could feel that shift from busy-brain to peaceful-brain happening with each step.

The afternoon was slow: lunch, rest, massages, and a sunset cruise where the sky turned a deep, cinematic pink. Then packing, because the next day was something entirely different—a sleep-out and a hike to the Tsodilo Hills.

Tsodilo Hills: Culture, History, and a Night Under the Stars

We began as always: yoga, breakfast, then two hours by car to our remote camp.

There, a local tribe welcomed us with a cultural experience - stories passed through generations, traditional dancing, and insight into how their ancestors lived in this landscape. It was humbling and beautifully shared.

We camped beneath the stars, resting early for our morning ascent.

At first light, we drove to the base of the Tsodilo Hills, where a local guide, mandatory for cultural and spiritual reasons, met us. The hike was challenging but deeply rewarding. It took us just over an hour to reach the top and slightly less to descend, the landscape opening beneath us as the sun climbed.

Afterwards, the team had set up a brunch station in the wild. We ate beneath the hills, legs tired, grateful for the refuel.

Tsodilo is home to over 4,500 ancient rock paintings spread across 400 sites, some dating back 100,000 years. After breakfast, we explored several with our guide, who explained the meanings behind the symbols and the spiritual significance of the hills themselves.

Some of the group returned to camp by helicopter. Jessie, Kerrith, and I opted for the drive back and slept nearly the entire way. Sun-happy, inspired, and tired in the best way.

Back at camp, I had a private yoga session with Kerrith and then one final Delta sunset cruise.

The Final Morning

Our last morning looked like the others: yoga, breakfast, and then boats to the vehicles, vehicles to the airstrip, and a short flight to begin the safari portion of our adventure.

I felt rested. Really rested. My screen time dropped from seven hours a day to one and a half during this trip. Nature, movement, culture, and quiet had reset me completely.

Would I Recommend This Wellness Safari in Botswana?

Absolutely!

This experience is an incredible way to begin a safari, or on its own. It washes off everything you arrive carrying. Work, stress, noise. So that by the time you head out into the bush, you’re already present, grounded, and ready to receive all that the wilderness has to offer.

If you’d like to experience this 4-night Botswana wellness safari and then continue on to a fully customised wildlife itinerary, we can plan the entire journey for you through Wildlife & Yoga.

You can sign up to our waitlist here to hear when bookings open for this trip.

Continue the Journey: Moremi and Chobe Safari Experience

If you are planning a trip to Botswana, we recommend pairing this wellness safari with time in Moremi Game Reserve and Chobe National Park.

After four days of yoga, culture, and slow island life in the Delta, stepping into the wildlife-rich landscapes of Moremi and Chobe creates a powerful balance between restoration and adventure.

We travelled to both regions after this wellness experience, and it was the best wildlife viewing I have ever had on safari: Moremi’s floodplains, Wildebeest, wild dogs, and the peace of water. Then Chobe, where elephants crashed our sundowners and lions were around almost every corner.

You can read the next chapter of this journey in our full Moremi and Chobe safari recap. If you are travelling to Botswana, we truly recommend combining both experiences for the most well-rounded and unforgettable safari. Get in touch, we can organise this safari for you!

One of the Male Lions we spotted in Chobe National Park